It’s a bloody good day for Michael Dickson, I tell you what. The Seattle Seahawks‘ punting phenom from Sydney just scored a berth in the NFL‘s Pro Bowl, the league’s flagship All-Star representative game, with the 22-year-old achieving the feat in his literal first year in the league.
[jwplayer ufxzSg8Y]
Dickson has been lighting up fields across the NFL all season long as arguably the Seahawks’ most valuable player, despite the position of punter not typically being a role of vital importance.
A combination of votes from coaches, fellow players, and fans has seen Dickson today awarded a Pro Bowl berth for the NFC team, marking the first time a rookie punter has been selected in a Pro Bowl in some 33 years.
Congratulations to our Pro Bowl #Seahawks: @Bwagz and @mdcksn!
🏆 | https://t.co/l2UlTjaAWM pic.twitter.com/AWjc7antMe
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) December 19, 2018
🇦🇺🏈🇦🇺🏈🇦🇺🏈🇦🇺🏈🇦🇺🏈🇦🇺
Congratulations to @mdcksn who has been selected to the #ProBowl! Good on ya, mate! #GoHawks
🇦🇺🏈🇦🇺🏈🇦🇺🏈🇦🇺🏈🇦🇺🏈🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/xXipyiCrtx— NFL Australia (@NFLAustralia) December 19, 2018
Dickson’s rise to the NFL has been fairly meteoric; the 22-year-old only began playing American Football in earnest just three years ago, shifting to US college the University of Texas in 2015. Prior to that, Dickson had attempted to forge a career in the AFL, in an unremarkable career that somewhat remarkably peaked in the now-famous 2014 NEAFL Grand Final as a member of the Sydney Swans reserves side.
Dickson’s rookie year in the NFL has been nothing short of stunning; at 48.9 yards per punt on average, Dickson leads all comers in the NFL, including fellow Australian Cameron Johnston of the Philadelphia Eagles.
It’s also the first time since 2010 that an Australian will feature in the NFL’s Pro Bowl game, following in punter Mat McBriar‘s footsteps.
The 2019 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl is scheduled for January 28th (AUS time) at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida.
Absolutely get around the lad!
